


Drowning

by hiraeth_skz



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Australia, Anxiety, Bang Chan & Lee Felix are Best Friends, Bang Chan is a Good Hyung, Drowning, Fear, Hwang Hyunjin & Lee Felix are Best Friends, Hwang Hyunjin-centric, Swimming, Water
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:40:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28785846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiraeth_skz/pseuds/hiraeth_skz
Summary: Hyunjin swims too deep and a breath-hitching pain strikes him. He’d never feared drowning... until now.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 42





	Drowning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JiminWreckedSugaBias](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JiminWreckedSugaBias/gifts).



> Tw for water, drowning, anxiety, and pain!  
> This is from a request from JiminWreckedSugaBias
> 
> “if you could write one where someone discovers a fear of drowning when they go swimming and they get a leg cramp when they are in deep water?”
> 
> It’s really short, beware.

Australia. What is Australia known for? You may say it's the plethora of venomous animals that send chills down your spine. You may say it’s the scalding heat caused by its close proximity to the equator. You may say the iconic quips that go along with that strong, familiar accent that brings a shining grin to your face. But for Hyunjin, it was his two friends Felix and Christopher. Well, them… and the oceans. He loved the ocean. He loved swimming; it made him feel free.

That’s why, on their vacation in Australia, six days out of the week, he was in the water. Why not seven out of seven? Something happened on the sixth that scared him more than he’d ever admit.

It went like this.

It was sweltering, as days often were. 7 am, the sun was anything but high, but it was still trying its best to blister and scorch Hyunjin’s skin.

“Hyunjin!” It was Felix’s deep voice, ringing over the calm stillness of the morning.

Hyunjin spun around, turning on his heel in the sand. “What!”

“Sunscreen, stupid,” Felix said, throwing a small, travel-sized bottle of suscreen at Hyunjin.

“Ack!” Hyunjin ducked but reached up and caught the sunscren. “Oh,” he chuckled. “Yeah, forgot, too excited.”

Chris loudly sighed from behind Felix. “I swear, if I don’t keep an eye on you two, I’m gonna lose you for good. You need to wait for me, I know these beaches better than you two combined.”

Felix rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up, Chris, I know them just as well as you. And it’s not my fault you can’t keep up,” he teased. “You’re so old.”

Chris smiled. “Say that again when I have to drive you home, I’ll leave you here.”

Felix pouted. “You would never.”

Hyunjin rolled his eyes and zoned out from his friends’ familiar antics. He slathered way too much sunscreen onto his pale arms and shoulders before chucking it at Chris.

“Ow, hey!” Chris snapped as the bottle hit his knee.

Hyunjin cackled. “Can I go now, or are you gonna lecture me more about your stupid superiority complex?”

“No, get out of my sight, that was abuse,” Chris wailed dramatically.

Hyunjin glared sarcastically at Chris, gave the two a little wave, and proceeded to run into the water.

He loved the water. It was freeing, it made him feel like his own person, seperate from the chaotic, terrible world. The sea was his safe space, it made him comfortable. It was his home. The second his ankles were submerged in the water, he was hit with the familiar feeling of euphoria. He ran until he was waist deep, then he let himself sink to the bottom, not a care to the world. He slithered above the sand, water enveloping him. It was completely clear, but got gradually darker as he inched deeper. He was reminded that humans often need to breathe to survive, so he bobbed up to the surface, gasping in the salty air and slicking back his long black hair. He had to flutter his legs to stay afloat, unaware of how far he’d gotten. He wasn’t worried, he knew it was safe. He squinted back to see Chris or Felix, but they were nowhere to be found. Hyunjin shrugged it off and dipped back underwater. The water pushed against him, telling him a wave was near. He shoved himself up against the water to take another breath and his theory was confirmed- a tall, dark wave rushed towards him, much closer than predicted.

“Shit,” Hyunjin muttered.

The wall. of water slammed against him, pushing him back underwater. It was a familiar feeling but it always got his heart beating just a little faster. And he was fine- until a searing pain struck his leg. His first instinct was to scream- but he was being tossed about by the current underwater, and he would most surely choke on some sea water. His vision blurred and his leg seized up. It wasn’t a shark, no, it was a cramp. An intense pain stabbing at the back of his knee, blurring his thoughts with pain. He tried to drag himself up to the surface- he’d been under for thirty seconds, and it was better safe than sorry.  
But he couldn’t.  
No amount of force he had in his arms would be effective without complete control of his body- all his limbs. That was when fear hit him. The completely relevant fear he should have had all along. The fear of drowning. He squeezed his eyes shut to try and straighten his thoughts, but his leg was shooting spikes of pain up his thigh, into his side and his waist. His heart beat wildly and his head throbbed with pain. His chest ached with the intense pain caused only by air loss. He was probably at forty seconds, and he knew that he couldn’t hold his breath much longer than ninety. His anxiety warped his reality, taking over his body.  
He didn’t want to drown. He tried with all his might to resist the pressure from the water, thrashing around despite the sharp burn it gave his leg. He opened his eyes, trying to find the light that indicated the sun, but he was down too deep.  
He’d never been scared of drowning. He had too much faith in himself to even consider drowning. But this fear was very real and very painful.  
He might die of fear before he died of drowning.  
At least- that’s what he thought, until a set of strong, comforting arms hooked under his own, pressing him against a firm chest. He felt water rush past him as he was pulled (presumably) upwards by the figure. After what seemed like the most exhausting forever, he was thrown into the air. He gasped for breath and heard someone do the same behind him. A hand squeezed his own and dragged his weak body through the water until his toes skimmed rugged sand. He let go of the hand, closed eyes burning with salt water, and held himself steady on his good leg. The other one still hurt, a pain he’d never felt before. But not worse than his head and chest. They ached from air loss, needing the oxygen that kept him alive. He staggered through the water until all he felt beneath him was sand, then he dropped to his knees and gasped for breath.

“What- oh, my god, Hyunjin!” It was Felix. “Is he okay?”

Hyunjin heard Chris cough. It was definitely him that had pulled him up.

“No,” Chris choked. “No, he almost drowned. I don’t know what happened.”

Felix fell to his knees and put his hands on Hyunjin’s shoulders as he gasped for breath. “Hyunjinnie, hey, it’s me. Breathe, are you okay?”

Hyunjin coughed, trying to inhale as much air as possible. He put his hand on his chest, hitting it for no reason at all. He fell onto his shoulder, curling onto his side in the hot sand. He grabbed his leg, clutching where the most pain was from. He’d never gotten cramps in the water, but in retrospect, he should’ve prepared for them. His chest burned still, sinking and rising rapidly.

“How long was he under?” Felix asked, scared.

“Probably a minute or so? Don’t worry, he’ll be alright, but there’s probably a little water in his lungs,” Chris answered.

Water in his lungs? His mouth and nose were sealed tightly the entire time, no way any water got in. He just hadn't breathed in a good long while.

“Don’t worry but he was in the water for a fucking minute?!” Felix exclaimed, whipping around to stare up at Chan, who had his hands on his head and was trying to take deep breaths.

Hyunjin scrambled to sit up. He pushed his hair out of his face, looking up at Chan and Felix.

“Hey, are you okay?” Felix rushed.

The only thing Hyunjin’s malfunctioning brain could conjure was a big grin and a ragged- “I’m doin’ great.”


End file.
